The Ontario-based company is said to be at work on a tablet that would serve as a companion device to its popular smartphones, the Wall Street Journal reported June 14, citing "people familiar with RIM's plans."

RIM's BlackBerry smartphone lineup may soon be joined by a large-screen tablet device, as well as a touchscreen-based smartphone with a slide-out keypad, according the Journal. Reportedly, a RIM tablet could arrive by year's end.

The RIM tablet would reportedly connect to cellular networks through a BlackBerry handset, and could hit stores in time for the holiday shopping season.